NAS/iSCSI Data Storage Servers

NasDeluxe

AV-STOR DSS05V6

Network Attached Storage and iSCSI
Data Storage Server

Overview

The AV-STOR-DSS V6 (Data Storage Server) is an all-in-one IP-Storage Solution offering NAS and iSCSI (target and initiator) functionality in a single unit with excellent enhanced management and superior reliability to organisations of all sizes.

Capacity

The AV-STOR DSS05V6 is designed to provide general data storage. A single desktop system holds up to 8TB of RAID proctected storage.

Dual Gigabit Network Interface

The DSS05V6 has quad on board 10/100/1000 Mbps (Gigabit) Ethernet ports which can be configured as follows:-

Stand Alone - Both adapters simultaneously receive and transmit data as a two logical channels. Ports can be connected to one or two different subnets.

Fault Tolerance - The second port automatically takes over on upon any failure of the primary connection (cable, adapter or port). If the connection to the primary adapter is restored, control passes automatically back to the primary

Installation & Management

The DSS05V6 can be configured with a static IP address, or a dynamically assigned address can be set by a DHCP server on your network. Further network and operational settings are configured using a web-based management interface by entering the AV-STOR's IP address into a web browser.

RAID

AV-STOR offers the ability to configure the servers local storage in a RAID array. In the unlikely event of a hard drive failure, data is protected.

RAID features include:

Integrated Hardware RAID controller

RAID 0 - disk striping

RAID 1 - mirroring

RAID 5 - data & parity striping

RAID 6 - Double Parity

User disk quotas supported

SATA-II Drives

Snapshot

Snapshots are point-in-time copies of the file-system. When creating a snapshot, the file-system is momentarily frozen and a record of all changes is created. Several terabytes of data ban be backed up in less than a second. Since files are not modified during snapshot creation, data integrity is maintained.

Because of their speed, Snapshots solve the problems of long backup windows and open files commonly associated with tape backup. Snapshot keeps track of file changes in blocks, so even frequent backups can require little or disk space.

Backed up data is maintained online and clients can access previous versions of their files through special read-only snap folders.

Available models

MODELS

Power Supply

Network

DRIVES

RAID 0
CAPACITY

DSS05V6-500

Single

4 x Gigabit

5 x 500GB Seagate ES.2 Nearline

2.5TB

DSS05V6-1000

Single

4 x Gigabit

5 x 1000GB Seagate ES.2 Nearline

5TB

DSS05V6-2000

Single

4 x Gigabit

5 x 2000GB Hitachi UltraStar

10TB

NAS Subsytem can be supplied with any quantity of disks. Please call with your requirements

Software Features

GUI ADMINISTRATION

Powerful and Intuitive Web-based User Interface
The web-based Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the AV-STOR Data Storage Server (DSS V6) software makes remote management of the storage device a simple task. By using a web-browser, the DSS can be easily managed from anywhere within the network.

Console Tool
The DSS can be managed by using the console tool. For security reasons some advanced and critical administrator tasks like “removing and restoring volumes” and “checking and repairing the file system”, can only be managed from the console. Through the console tool, an administrator monitors the status of the network and memory usage, install drivers and hardware and perform other tasks.

Tuning Tools (advanced users)
The server performance of the DSS server can be increased by changing the settings of disk, network, file system or network using “Tuning Tools”.

Remote Access of Console Tool
The DSS V6 supports remote access of the console tool enabling management of the server from anywhere in the network.

Update System (Local or Internet)
Update downtime is reduced with the new Update System feature in addition to making it possible to reboot from the old system.

NETWORK MANAGEMENT

Standard Network Gateway Support
The DSS V6 can be used with structured networks in business environments and has an optional data access via Intranet or Internet.

DHCP Client
Assigning IP addresses in a network can be centrally managed and automated through using Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

Multiple Network Interface Card (NIC) Support
The DSS supports usage of two or more network cards to access separate sub-networks or to increase the bandwidth and allows administrators to select services to be enabled on a specified NIC.

STORAGE MANAGEMENT

DSS V6 provides fault tolerance via synchronous NAS Volume Replication for NFS shares. Once configured, all data written to the primary server is mirrored to a secondary server. In the event the primary server fails, DSS V6 automatically switches operation to the secondary server. NFS locks are also reassigned on the secondary server after primary server fails. This functionality requires the purchase of a feature pack.

NEW! Ability to dynamically switch between FC initiator and target without system restart for QLogic 2/4/8 Gb. Port modes can also be dynamically switched

Now you can change your QLogic FC card mode back and forth (between initiator and target) without a server restart. This is invaluable when you’re implementing DSS V6 in your environment and want to experiment a lot with target/initiator modes. Addtitionally, not only can you change the adapter modes, but individual ports modes (in case of multi port adapters) as well!

NEW! Support for Automatic Session Reassignment (ASR) for Fibre Channel and iSCSI protocols

Automatic Session Reassignment makes group renaming, removal, and WWN assignment work without interrupting (blocking) other sessions. This functionality makes the iSCSI and Fibre Channel services work smoothly while their configuration is being modified.

AV-STOR DSS V6 provides fault tolerance via iSCSI Volume Replication. Data is copied in real time to the primary server and every change is immediately mirrored to a secondary server and in the event of a failure of the primary server AV-STOR DSS V6 automatically switches operations to the secondary server.

Volume Replication

AV-STOR DSS V6 provides both Synchronous and Asynchronous Volume Replication. Asynchronous Volume Replication is also supported over a WAN with both pair to pair support and multiple sources support.

Cross Data Synchronization

AV-STOR DSS V6 synchronizes files and directories from one NAS server to another. Disaster recovery or Disk-to-Disk backup synchronization utilizes block-based data transfer that minimizes network traffic. DSS V6 can synchronize data in both directions: the DSS V6 can be the source and destination of files at the same time, allowing to cross-backup data on several servers.

SCSI-3 Persistent Reservation

Support for persistent reservation commands. This enables support for Windows 2008 and Windows Cluster.

Sys check

Enables you to check the performance of your system

Hardware and Software iSCSI Initiator

The DSS V6 supports hardware optional iSCSI Initiators and has a software iSCSI Initiator for easily expanding the storage capacity of the NAS server. New units and logical volumes can be added by connecting an iSCSI storage system to the NAS server.

E-mail Notification for RAID Issues
Email alerts are sent to the system administrator in case of issues with the RAID through the DSS software.

Multiple Fiber Channel HBA Support
For higher bandwidth, better latency and performance, the AV-STOR DSS version supports Fibre Channel HBA´s from Emulex, Qlogic and LSI. Fibre Channel is the standard connection type for connecting high speed storage devices much like the DSS, to computers in Storage Area Networks (SAN).

Support for over 2TB Physical and Logical Volumes (LV)The AV-STOR DSS V6 supports logical volumes greater than 2TB and a physical size of up to 16TB.

Snapshot
Snapshot is an immediate point-in-time image of the logical volume. The snapshot image can be used for both consistent and temporary backup, while users still have uninterrupted and complete access to the LV. Files can be recovered from previous snapshots should a file be accidentally deleted or modified.

Multiple Snapshots with Scheduling Function
The AV-STOR DSS V6 supports “Multiple Snapshot with Scheduling” to create snapshots at predefined points in time (e.g. automatically every hour).

Multiple Logical Volume & Groups
Logical volume groups allow storage administrators to create logical storage pools that span multiple physical disk drives. With it’s support of multiple logical volume groups, the AV-STOR DSS V6 makes it easier to meet the changing needs of users and applications while making the maximum use of available physical disk space.

Online Logical Volume Expansion
Online logical volume expansion allows administrators to change the size of storage volumes as needed without having to restart the application, recreate the volume, and back up and restore data to the volume.

Support for Online Capacity Expansion
RAID controllers’ expansion capability supports the increase of size of existing units without removing data.

Email Notification
In the event of a technical failure of the storage device, administrators are alerted by Email.

Log Function
The log file is an effective instrument in analyzing and solving technical issues.

HARDWARE SUPPORT

Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Support
A UPS eliminates the effects of a temporary power outage and provides a safe shutdown, without loss of data, in case of power failure. The UPS device can be connected by Communications Port (COM-port) or Universal Serial Bus (USB) to the server.

Network UPS Support
The DSS is capable of using the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) interface for communication with other SNMP-enabled servers (e.g.AV-STOR NAS) for a smooth server shutdown in the event of a power failure. The server with the UPS sends a power failure signal through the network to other servers (in slave mode) and will shut down all servers in the network.

Support for Network Information Service (NIS)
The DSS supports NIS for easier and consistent access of information stored on any other data storage server using NIS directory service protocol by enabling distribution of system configuration data such as user and host names between computers on a computer network.

File System with Journaling Support
Journaling support makes the file system more reliable and allows easier, faster recovery from unexpected shutdowns.

User and Group Quota Control
Administrators can control users with large disk requirements by assigning a dedicated share or by restricting their individual usage through individual user quotas or to assign a quota to a group to which the user belongs.

Antivirus (server's shares scanning)
The DSS has an integrated Antivirus software tool for scanning shares on viruses at predefined points in time. The Virus Definition Database can be updated and is stored on the NAS device.

External Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
The DSS supports external LDAP enabling administrators to configure and manage multiple data storage servers from one single point (either an AV-STOR server with a LDAP database or any other LDAP server).

SPECIFIC iSCSI FUNCTIONALITY

Multiple Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocols (CHAP) per Target
In DSS, CHAP users can be assigned to a specific iSCSI target. CHAP is an authentication schema, managed by user name and password, to validate the identity of users to manage the access rights of users to targets.

MPIO Support
The DSS allows set multiple connections to one target increasing performance and reliability.

BACKUP FUNCTIONALITY

Task Mechanism with Scheduling
Management of all the tasks is much easier and convenient using the unified task mechanism with scheduling for data and volume replication, backup and snapshot. Tasks are scheduled as to when to activate and may have many schedules.

Tape Retention Time
Set schedule for tapes to be rewritten for new backup.

OTHER

SWAP Support
SWAP is used to store memory areas on hard drives instead of Random Access Memory (RAM). The DSS software dumps memory to SWAP in case of additional memory is need (e.g. repairing the file system after a degraded RAID).

One License per Storage Device
Regardless of the number of users connected to the storage device, the AV-STOR license schema is a one license per DSS and is priced accordingly. Whether you have 5, 500, 15,000 or more, you only pay one price for one Data Storage Server License.

Superuser Function
A “Superuser” account has unrestricted access to all the files and volumes and is an especially helpful feature when certain directories or files are no longer accessible.

Local Backup on Dynamic Units
Through the DSS, a local HDD or a USB drive can be defined as a Dynamic Unit and acts like a normal tape drive which can backup the NAS server and be removed without shutting down the server.

Cross Data Synchronization
The DSS synchronize files and directories from one NAS server to another. Disaster recovery or Disk-to-Disk backup synchronization utilizes block-based data transfer that minimizes network traffic. The Enterprise version can synchronize data in both directions: the DSS can be the source and destination of files at the same time, allowing to cross-backup data on several servers.

Target Password Support
AV-STOR DSS allows set up password for iSCSI targets to protect them from unauthorized access.

Read Only Logical Unit Number (LUN)
This function allows the user to set the LUN as a read-only device (for iSCSI Target only).